Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Viana do Castelo > Melgaço > Chaviães e Paços > Parada
The Monastery of Fiães is located in Parada, an area within the locality of Chaviães e Paços, in the municipality of Melgaço. Nestled in a predominantly rural landscape, this place offers an atmosphere of serenity and isolation, characteristic of the Alto Minho region.
Its position allows visitors to enjoy the calm that surrounds the structure, with views of the surrounding nature, inviting contemplation of the heritage in a setting of tranquility.
The Monastery of Fiães, also known as the Church of Saint Andrew, has its roots in a remote past and has been recognized as a National Monument since 1910. Its origin is debated among historians, with indications that parts of the structure may date back to the 9th century, under the influence of the Benedictine Order, before being integrated into the Cistercian Order between 1173 and 1194.
Over the centuries, the monastery witnessed significant reforms, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, which altered the facade and the interior of the naves. After its dissolution in 1834, the original monastic wings were gradually dismantled. However, restoration interventions in the 20th century ensured the preservation of most of its visible medieval elements.
A notable episode in its history is the hosting of Philippa of Lancaster within its premises upon her arrival from England for her marriage to John I, a moment of relevance in the formation of the Portuguese nation.
The architecture of the Monastery of Fiães reflects its long trajectory and the different influences that shaped it. From the original construction, it is still possible to observe the body of three naves and four bays, divided by longitudinal arcades with perfect round arches, highlighting its Romanesque foundations.
The Cistercian mark is manifested in the tripartite and stepped quadrangular apse, as well as in the two-bay apse. Throughout the complex, the decoration maintains a remarkable simplicity and austerity, characteristic of the Cistercian Order. On the facade, the coat of arms of the Congregation of Alcobaça stands out, along with an imposing ogival portal with multiple archivolts, flanked by robust buttresses. The upper part of the main facade, including the large windows and niches with the images of Saint Bernard, Our Lady of the Assumption, and Saint Benedict, is the result of a 17th-century remodelling.
Inside the monastery, visitors can contemplate a Mannerist altar and a gilded carved altarpiece, dating from the Baroque period, which enrich the sacred space. In the south nave, lies the 15th-century tomb of Fernão Eanes de Lima, father of Leonel de Lima.
Of the original cloister, built by Cistercian monks in the 13th century and already in ruins by 1533, a fragment of a double capital survives today. This small remnant, with its delicate plant decoration, is a testament to the lost grandeur and an invitation to imagine what this monastic complex once was.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 42.104074488235, -8.2111131411765
Coordinates DMS: 42°06'14.7"N 08°12'40.0"W
On-duty Pharmacy Chaviães e Paços
